For the upcoming matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday at 7:00 PM ET, we have outlined the best bets to consider, along with our picks and predictions, in the piece below.

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Lightning vs. Blue Jackets Picks

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Total Pick

Pick OU: Over 6.5 (model projecting 6.9 goals)

• This season, 13 of Tampa Bay’s 28 games have gone over Tuesday’s total of 6.5 goals.
• There have been 20 Columbus games with more than 6.5 goals this season.
• The total for this game (6.5) is 0.7 less than the combined scoring averages for the Lightning (4.00) and Blue Jackets (3.23).
• This game’s over/under is 0.0 more than the 6.5 goals these two teams concede per game combined.

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Moneyline Pick

Lightning Moneyline: -238

• The Lightning are 12-6 when listed as a moneyline favorite this season.
• Tampa Bay has had moneyline odds set at -238 or shorter in only one game this season, and won.
• Based on the moneyline in this game, the Lightning’s implied win probability is 70.4%.

Blue Jackets Moneyline: +194

• In 26 games as the underdog on the moneyline, Columbus has achieved the upset 10 times.
• The Blue Jackets have three victories in games with moneyline odds of +194 or longer (in seven chances).
• Columbus’ implied probability to win this matchup is 34.0% based on the moneyline.

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Score Prediction

Prediction:
Tampa Bay 5, Columbus 2

Lightning Points Leaders

• A productive offensive player this season for Tampa Bay, Nikita Kucherov has put up 45 points.
• Having scored 20 goals and adding 16 assists, Brayden Point is a top contributor for Tampa Bay through 24 games.
• Brandon Hagel has created 35 points for Tampa Bay in 28 games this season, scoring on 19.5% of his shots and recording 15 goals and 20 assists.
• Andrei Vasilevskiy (13-9-1) has a 2.4 goals against average and a save percentage of .908 for Tampa Bay.

Blue Jackets Points Leaders

• Zachary Werenski’s 10 goals and 21 assists in 31 contests give him 31 points on the season, making him a key part of his team’s offense.
• Kirill Marchenko is a top contributor for Columbus, with 29 total points this season. He has netted 11 goals and provided 18 assists in 31 contests.
• Sean Monahan has scored nine goals and contributed 16 assists for Columbus, giving him a point total of 25.
• Elvis Merzlikins has a 9-9-2 record this season, with an .886 save percentage (53rd in the league). In 20 games, he has 484 saves, and has given up 62 goals (3.1 goals against average).

Lightning’s Schedule

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Blue Jackets’ Schedule

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Tampa Bay vs. Columbus Game Info

• Date: Tuesday, December 17, 2024
• Time: 7:00 PM ET
• How to watch on TV: ESPN+
• Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
• Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
• Location: Tampa, Florida
• Venue: Amalie Arena

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